An Extremely Awkward Party
by TamariChan
Summary: Kel meets Neal's sister at his engagement party. Several very uncomfortable conversations follow. Kel, Jessamine, Dom, Neal, and friends. oneshot, written for Malorie's Peak prompt. Disclaimer: The characters and the world of Tortall belong to TP.


_Title: _An Extremely Awkward Party_  
Rating:_ K+ (PG)_  
Prompt: _#62- An Awkward Moment_  
Summary: _Kel meets Neal's sister at his engagement party. Several very uncomfortable conversations follow. Kel, Jessamine, Dom, Neal, and friends.

(Written for Malorie's Peak Prompt)

Kel hated parties. Perhaps she had spent too much time with Raoul, she reflected as she watched Neal talk enthusiastically with Yuki's parents, while Yuki hid a smile behind her fan.

Someone bumped into her. "Excuse me," said the girl.

"Of course," Kel said absentmindedly.

"You're Keladry of Mindelan, aren't you?" the girl asked.

"Yes, and you?"

"Jessamine of Queenscove," the girl smiled. "I'm Neal's sister, I've heard so much about you!"

"Nice to meet you." Kel had never met Neal's sister before, but he had mentioned her before. All Kel really knew about her was that she was the same age as Kel.

"So," Jessamine had a glint in her eyes that did not bode well. "How did you become such close friends with my brother?"

"Well, you know," Kel said, "He was my page-sponsor, and someone had to make sure the lack of vegetables didn't kill him, so it benefited both of us to be friends."

Jessamine laughed. "I can't see Neal being the most polite page either," she said ruefully. "Mother was very confused by his letters home until she realized exactly who he meant by 'The Stump'."

"Honestly, he has no self-preservation instinct. Thank the Goddess he has Yuki now to smack him with her fan when he's going to do something stupid."

Jessamine eyed Kel in a way that made Kel vaguely uncomfortable. "And you're friends with Yuki, aren't you?"

"Yes…"

"He probably won't be able to spend as much time with his friends after he's married," said Jessamine, "It's too bad. If he'd married a fellow warrior, like you-"

"What?" Kel blurted. "Neal and I- I mean, um, no, he doesn't see me like- we're not- we're just not. No."

Jessamine raised an eyebrow. "You have no romantic interest in him at all? I'm sorry, I thought… well, because of he feels, and you know…"

"Wait, what?"

"Oh, nothing. Maybe I saw a few poems he left lying around at home. He's a terrible poet, isn't he?"

"Poems?" asked a very confused Kel.

"They went something like: '_Oh Kel, beauteous squire, I wish I could serenade you with a choir, but alas! you can never know of my affection, I am a coward when it comes to your rejection-' _it got worse from there."

Kel gaped, her hazel eyes flicking over to Neal, who had come closer during their talk and was now chatting with Faleron and Merric. Jessamine's mouth quirked in a half-smile.

"Oh, my poor brother. Don't tell him I told you. I'm sure he loves Yuki, but he'd probably be embarrassed. And he has such an ego, you know, he always found it hard to believe that anyone could _not_ have a crush on him! But you never did."

Kel fidgeted.

"Between us," she stepped a bit closer to Jessamine, "I did have a bit of a crush on him during our page years. But I got over it," she said quickly.

Jessamine's mouth fell open.

"It's not that shocking," Kel huffed. "You've been hinting at it this whole conversation."

"Have you now, Jessamine," A voice sounded from behind Kel. Kel whirled to meet amused green eyes underneath arched brows. Kel thought for a second about throwing a glass of wine at him, but dismissed it as childish. Besides, that would draw more attention to her. And there was no wine around, unless she stole Jessamine's. But the first reason sounded best, so she'd go with it.

"Hello, Neal," Jessamine smiled. "Kel and I were just having a lovely conversation." As Kel turned to glare at her, she added, "And I'll just be going now! Oh look, there's Sir Owen, bye!" She walked away, not too gracefully.

"I should go and say hi to Owen," Kel mumbled, avoiding Neal's eyes.

"Oh, no, let's continue your wonderful conversation. I think we were at the part where you waxed eloquent about my amazing qualities."

Kel snorted. "Of course. I was just telling your sister about your head's resemblance to meat, Meathead."

"That's Sir Meathead to you!" Neal said indignantly. "And you're avoiding the subject!"

"Did you miss the 'got over it'?" Kel snapped, her Yamani Mask cracking. "It's not like I'm secretly pining over you while you get engaged to one of my best friends!"

"Pining, huh? I know I'm gorgeous, but there's no need to make yourself depressed-"

"I said NOT pining! I don't have a crush on you anymore!"

"Defensive, Keladry?" said another voice.

Not more people, Kel thought, as she resignedly turned to see yet another person behind her. Honestly, where were her fighting instincts that all these people could creep up on her? When she saw dark hair and twinkling blue eyes, she wanted to crawl under a table more than anything. Unfortunately, there was a lack of tables in the area. And it was childish. Think maturely, Kel.

"Dom, I don't think you were part of this discussion," Neal said, suddenly serious.

"How could I miss it, when it involves you, Sir Meathead, and the lovely Protector of the Small? That's a ballad for you, Meathead and the Protector, best friends, vegetable eaters, lovers-"

"Excuse me, what was that last one?" said Kel. "In case you didn't miss it, Neal is marrying Yuki. We are not, nor were we ever, lovers."

"You and Yuki or you and Neal?" Dom said with a wicked grin.

"Both!" Kel insisted as Neal choked.

Dom sighed. "Fine, I'll leave you to your 'discussion'. Have fun, but not too much fun, lovebirds!" He dodged Neal's push and walked away, chucking.

Neal regained his balance and pushed his light brown hair out of his eyes. "Wasn't that fun, Kel?" He smirked. "So, you love me-"

"I don't!"

"Sure."

"I don't. Really. There's someone else. Also, I know all about those poems!"

"Who? What poems? I showed you those, remember? Yuki liked them a lot-" Neal said.

"None of your business, and not those, the ones you wrote about me!" Kel said triumphantly as Neal's eyebrows went up and he opened his mouth weakly. "Jessamine found them."

"And she told you?" He said. "I can't believe that! What happened to family values?"

"So you admit it!"

"I never- wait, no, I don't know what poems you're talking about!"

"Too late, Nealan."

"Don't call me Nealan, _Keladry!_"

"Fine, Meathead," Kel smiled sweetly at Neal. "Now we're even. Let's never speak of this again. Now let's go talk to our friends, who are looking very impatiently at us." She dragged a protesting Neal over to Owen, who had joined Faleron, Merric, and Dom. Jessamine was nowhere to be seen, which was good, since Kel suspected Neal wouldn't be too happy with his sister divulging his secrets.

"What was that about?" Faleron asked, looking them over. "Dom said-"

"Don't listen to Dom, he doesn't have much sense," Neal said loftily.

"Says you, Daffodil!"

"You told him about that, Kel?" Neal yelped.

Kel laughed. Poor Neal.


End file.
